Exercising device



v June 3, 1941. & VENABLES 2,244,351

EXER CIS ING DEVICE 7 Filed March 16, 1940 I JAMES G. VENABLES (lttomegPatented June 3, 1941 UNITED EXERCISIN G DEVICE James G. Venables. York,Pas assignor. to Robert C. Hoffman, doing business as York BarbellCompany, York, Pa.

Application March 16, 1940, Serial No. 324,258

2 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement and exercising devices and moreparticularly to exercising devices of the type known as dumb-bells, barbells, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for holding theweights on bar bells, dumb-bells, and the like, so that the amount ofweights on such devices can be quickly changed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, simple andeasily operated releasable collar for bars used in exercising devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient, strong anddurable device of the class specified which may be economicallyconstructed.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, theinvention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of theseveral parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bar bell of the adjustable weight typeshowing the application of the presentinvention thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,the handle being shown in elevated position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the handlebeing shown in the position in which the collar is released from the barin full lines and in a position in which the collar is clamped to thebar by broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3, the handle beingshown in clamped position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the collar; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner in which the handleis pivotally connected to the collar.

The bar bell is a well known exercising device having near each end acollar secured to the bar at such a distance from the end as to permitthe addition of a plurality of disk-like weights which slidably fit onthe end of the bar. During a series of exercises the number of weightsis increased or decreased, depending on the exercises being performed ordepending upon the person performing them. Heretofore the bar bell wasso constructed that the removal or addition of extra weights required awrench for manipulating the collar which was used to secure the weightsto the ends of the bar. The collar ordinarily used was of a commoncylindrical type which loosely fitted on the bar and was provided with aset screw that fit into the bar when tightened by a wrench. Thus, inorder to remove a collar it was necessary to retract the set screw andthen after a number of weights were changed the collar was again mountedon the bar and the set screw turned into holding position by means of awrench. The use of a wrench always required a considerable amount oftime and was a source of annoyance to the user. Furthermore. itsometimes happened that a set screw became loose or was not madesufficiently tight in which case the collar slipped and allowed theweights to drop ofi the bar.

By the present invention the collar is so constructed that the 'setscrew is eliminated, and in lieu thereof means have been provided forfirmly clamping the collar in position on the bar.

Referring to the drawing, the bar bell consists of a bar H havingmounted thereon adjacent to each end thereof, a number of weights l2, ofdifferent sizes.

The innermost weight l2 at each end of the bar engages-onthe inside acollar I3 which is permanently held in position by some means, such as a.set screw I4.

The weights l2 are held on the bar by a removable adjustable collar l6adapted to be mounted on the 'bar in position to engage the outermostweight so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the weights on the bar.

The collar 16 is, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, of the split type havinga slot I! which extends the entire length of the collar and having oneach side of said- ;slot upright cooperating flanges or ears'IB'and l9.

The ears l8 and I9 are formed with slots 26 which extend upwardly at anangle to the longitudinal center line of the collar from one end of saidears.

The slots 20 each have an upper wall 2|, a lower wall 22 and an innerwall 23 which connects the inner portions of said walls. Theconstruction is such that the slots are substantially U-shaped as seenin Figs. 3 and 7.

As shown in Fig. '7, when the slots 20 are being formed in the ears l8and 19, the mouth of each slot is made of sufficient width to permit theinsertion into said slots of a rod 24 mounted on the legs 25 of thebifurcated end of a handle or lever 26. After the rod 24 has beendisposed adjacent the inner wall 23 the upper corner portion 21 of theears is struck by a hammer or other tool and the material bentdownwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. '7,

and by full lines in Fig. 3. In this way the handle 26 is prevented frombeing accidentally displaced from the collar l6, although said handlecan be readily detached from the collar simply by prying the noseportion 28 upwardly by means of a screw driver or other suitable tool,to position the tip of said nose away from the wall 22. When the handle26 has been attached to the collar H3 in the manner above described therod 24 functions as a pivot pin for said handle so that the latter canbe swung from the full line position to the dotted line position, ofFig. 3.

The legs 25 of the lever or handle 26 are closer together at their innerportions 29 (Figs. 2 and 4) near the handle end, than at the pivot orfree end.

The relative dimensions of the forked lever and the ears l8 and I9 aresuch that when the lever is in an upright or substantially verticalposition, as shown by full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the ears are releasedand permit the collar IE to spread to its normal position in whichposition the diameter of the collar is greater than the diameter of thebar H (see Fig. 2) with which said collar cooperates so that the collarmay be easily slipped on and ofi the bar. But when the handle 26 ispushed downwardly towards a horizontal position the sides 29 of the legs25 engage the sides of the ears l8 and I9 and cam the ears towards eachother, thus causing the collar E6 to grip the bar I I.

The ends of the rod 24 are embedded in the legs 25. This permits the useof a cast handle of which the rod 24 is an integral part therebyproviding a tension member for preventing the ends of said legs fromspreading during the camming or locking action. This also permits theuse of a much lighter handle than would otherwise be required.

At a point diametrically opposite to the slot H, the collar I6 is formedwith a pair of knobs or protuberances 30. These members 30 are spaced asuitable distance apart so as to provide a notch 3! on the underside ofthe collar. When the handle 26 is operated from the full line positionshown in Fig. 3 towards the broken line position, the operator may gripthe underside of the collar with his first finger, disposing the fingerin the notch 31. In this way the operators hand will be held fromslipping from the device when force is exerted to clamp the collar onthe bar.

The operation of the locking collar 16 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Afterthe chosen number of weights l2 are placed on the bar H the collar I6 ispushed into place as shown in Fig. 3, the lever 26 being in its raisedor released position. Then holding the collar 16 firmly against the endweight the lever 26 is pressed downwardly until the cam surfaces 28 ofthe legs 25 force the flanges or ears l8 and I9 towards each other,thereby reducing the diameter of the collar so that said collar islocked securely to the bar.

In order to limit the downward swinging movement of the lever 26, thusavoiding any danger of pinching the fingers between the lever and thebar II, a lug 32 may be formed on the underside of said lever in such aposition to engage the end portion 33 of the collar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A locking device for releasably clamping weights on bar bellscomprising a split collar having an inside diameter slightly greaterthan the outside diameter of the rod or bar on which it is to be used,spaced upright ears bordering the split in said collar and each earhaving an open slot in its forward end, a bifurcated handle having apair of legs straddling said ears, a pivoting rod connecting the ends ofthe legs, said slots extending upwardly at an angle to the longitudinalcenter line of the collar from the end of the cars so that the handlemay be easily connected to said collar, and cam surfaces formed on saidlegs for engaging the ears when said handle is turned about its pivottowards the axis of the collar to thereby force the ears towards eachother, whereby the diameter of the collar is reduced and the collar isclamped to a bar.

2. A locking device for releasably clamping weights on bar bellscomprising a split collar having an inside diameter slightly greaterthan the outside diameter of the rod or bar on which it is to be used,spaced upright flanges bordering the split in said collar, an Open slotformed in the forward end of each flange, a handle having an end formedwith spaced apart legs for straddling said flanges, a pivot pinconnecting the free ends of said legs and passing through the slots insaid flanges whereby the handle may be

